In case you were wondering, yes it is my birthday today.
I like a January birthday. Winter is actually my favorite month. I like the fact that we (can) get snow; that we get those brisk cold days, even the below freezing days, where a thick pair of gloves, a wool scarf and a warm hat keeps one warm and snuggled; I get to wear my winter coat and all those accessories (I never wear a black coat - don't even own one - and keep things bright and cheerful); that the trees look like they have been drawn in a thin pencil, giving them that lace-like imagery; that we are so close to Christmas and decorations are still up; that we just passed a new year, with new beginnings and possibilities; and that there is actually one day that is supposed to be special, to commemorate one's birth and the gift of having been born.
Horoscopes are of course the fun part of birthdays. I take mine semi-seriously, since I find that those abridged characterizations do somewhat describe me.
Yes, I think I am a bit of a persistent perseverer (just look at this blog!), and that I tend to take things seriously. But, I seem to be ruled by the "tail" part of the horoscope, which few astrologers mention. I have a light and optimistic view of things; I have some sense of humor (if I can say so myself), which sometimes throws people off since they don't expect it of me; and I think I have an artistic bent, and a bit of a sixth sense.
Here is Larry Auster, an aquarius, writing about his view on horoscopes, and how they relate to him:
Decades ago, I was very much interested in astrology and studied it deeply. Then I dropped it. My view of the matter was and is as follows: The symbols of astrology represent a certain dimension of the universe, they are a window into certain constitutive principles of human personality and character, often showing us profound truths about people and personality types.He then writes about the limitations of astrology, and horoscopes
At the same time, the insights that one gets from astrology are so subjective (and its terminology so specialized and so different from normal language) that it is not really useful for general purposes of understanding and discussing human character. It tends to become a silly distraction from true understanding, an intellectual game of classification and labeling that in the final analysis doesn’t go anywhere.But he doesn't quite fully dismiss horoscopes, noting some of their strengths:
The truth or falsity of astrology cannot be determined by abstract arguments over whether it is plausible that the positions of the planets could affect earthly events. The truth or falsity of astrology can only be determined by people who learn its principles and study the birth charts of people they know well or of famous people. Why the correspondence exists between the configuration of the solar system in relation to the earth at the time of a person’s birth and that person’s traits is not known; but the correspondence does exist, often to an incredibly detailed degree. The planets and signs, in a manner we cannot understand, represent structural principles of the universe and vital principles of the human psyche, and to learn about these principles and see them in operation in human personality is a legitimate area of knowledge.So, in true Larry Auster fashion, we get the whole picture of the argument, from a detached/involved perspective. We know that if anything, Larry will be fair, while at the same time not tolerating any silliness.
Larry also like birthdays. He mentions his once (in passing) here, and he wrote a long post on George Washington's birthday here starting the post with "Happy Birthday, G. Washington!". He didn't like birthdays in the narcissistic, self-centered way that many people celebrate their birthdays, but in recognition of the importance of the day.
Here is a marvelously life-like image of the then 53-year-old Washington rarely seen by Americans, one of the heads sculpted by Jean Antoine Houdon from the life mask he cast when he visited Mount Vernon in 1785, now at the Museum of the Louvre in Paris. Houdon told a friend he was in awe of “the majesty and grandeur of Washington’s form and features.” One has the same awe at Houdon’s genius; it is to be doubted that any photograph could make us feel that we are as close to the living man as he really was. [Source: VFR: Washington's Birthday]
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Posted By: Kidist P. Asrat
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